Composition and audio © Alexander Massey 13 August 2015 BUY the sheet music (1 or 2 vces & pno/guit) – $4.95 The sheet music is also available as part of ‘Five Sacred Chants’. ןְטַהֵר לִבֵּנוּ לְעָבְדְּךָ בְּאֶמֶת V’taheir libeinu, l’ovd’cha b’emet. “Purify our hearts, that we may serve You in truth.” When, in the morning, […]
Music and audio © Alexander Massey 13 August 2015 BUY the sheet music (1 or 2 vces lead sheet) – $4.50 (2 copies @ $2.25) Happy is the one who lives in God’s house Ashrei yoshvei veitecha; od y’hal’lucha. Selah. Ashrei ha’am shekachah lo; ashrei ha’am she’adonai elohav. Happy is the one who lives in
Ashrei Yoshvei Veitecha Read More »
The bonds of community and mutual care are given very high value within Judaism. The importance of a Jew extending themselves on behalf of another includes offering the same practical, emotional and spiritual concern for those beyond the Jewish community. One of the key ways that this can be expressed is through bikur cholim, visiting
Bikur cholim – visiting the sick Read More »
“It was very special to be part of a large congregation of Liberal Jews, praying together, and the earlier session I went to prepared me for it well. This was taken by Alexander Massey and it was a meditation on Elohai N’shamah for which he has written music and devised physical movements. We discussed the
Report on my session at Liberal Shabbaton (Nov 2015) Read More »
This translation of the second paragraph of the Sh’ma intersperses close reading of the original Hebrew with meditative interpolations to expand on multiple meanings and ambiguities in the Hebrew, as well as in the translation itself. The reader is invited to use this as a starting point for personal meditation on the deep power and
Love and Follow (Sh’ma #2) Read More »
This translation of the first paragraph of the Sh’ma intersperses close reading of the original Hebrew with meditative interpolations to expand on multiple meanings and ambiguities in the Hebrew, as well as in the translation itself. The reader is invited to use this as a starting point for personal meditation on the deep power and
Listen and Love (Sh’ma #1) Read More »
These are my own gleanings from a wonderful book by Abraham Joshua Heschel, Man’s Quest for God: Studies in Prayer and Symbolism (1954, copyright Susannah Heschel 1996). I hope they encourage you to buy the book. Normally, I paraphrase and summarise much more; however, Heschel has such a powerful command of language, that most of
Man’s Quest for God (book by Heschel) Read More »
There are many websites, resources, and articles, by noted medical experts, rabbis and authorities on Jewish tradition and halachah (law) that set out the arguments both against brit milah (the circumcision ritual for Jewish boys), and for alternative welcoming, naming and covenant ceremonies (such as brit shalom) that do not involve cutting or drawing of blood. You will find a number of useful resources
Celebrating Brit Shalom (book by Moss & Wald) Read More »
Music and recording © Alexander Massey 11 March 2015 BUY the sheet music (3 vces & pno/guit) – $4.50 (3 copies @ $1.50) (I have written another substantial article on Elohai N’shamah, including 2 new meditations, which can be found here.) Chant, text, translation, source readings and reflections ….
Music, English lyrics and Recording © Alexander Massey, Aug 2014. Hebrew words (Trad.) Dedicated to my Rabbi, Reb Zalman Shachter-Shalomi (ztz”l), completed during shloshim. These three Hebrew lines from the evening blessing express our yearning for God’s protection – day and night – and throughout our lives. I think they can also be a prayer for the